and russians vote in an election where vladimir putin faces no real challengers. i'm helena humphrey, good to have you with us. us senate majority leader chuck schumer has called for new elections in israel, accusing israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu of prioritising his "political survival" above the country. mr schumer, a democrat and america's highest—ranking jewish elected official, said the us should use its leverage to persuade mr netanyahu to change course. while the us remains israel's closest ally and biggest provider of military aid, concerns have been mounting within the biden administration over israel's conduct in gaza as the humanitarian crisis there worsens. now president biden�*s top ally on capitol hill is calling for israel to make "course corrections".

i have known benjamin netanyahu for a very long time and while we have disagreed on many occasions, i will always respect his extraordinary bravery for israel on the battlefield of the younger man and i believe in his heart he has his highest priority as the security of israel. however, i also believe prime minister netanyahu has lost his way. senior israeli figures — including the ambassador to the us, michael herzog, and mr netanyahu's chief political rival, benny gantz — criticised mr schumer�*s intervention, calling it "unhelpful, counterproductive "and unacceptable". mr schumer�*s comments come as the biden administration continues to pressure mr netanyahu not to launch a ground offensive on gaza's southernmost city, rafah, something the white house says is a "red line". but talking to troops on thursday, mr netanyahu sounded undaunted.

translation: their international - translation: their l international pressures preventing us from entering rafah in completing the work. as a minister on israel, i was away these pressures and we have been doing this successfully for five eyes already, this record time in the history of the war. i will continue to push away the pressure and we will enter rafah. we will complete the elimination of the rest of the hamas battalions. dozens of palestinians have been killed or injured by israeli forces while waiting for humanitarian aid at gaza's kuwaiti roundabout. the hamas—run health ministry said that at least 11 dead bodies arrived at al shifa hospital. while a ceasefire deal between israel and hamas remains elusive, hamas said it has presented to mediators a truce deal based on stopping what it has called israel's "aggression" against palestinians in gaza. in exchange for the return of all hostages, hamas proposed a more than a—month ceasefire. the deal would include relief aid and the return of displaced gazans to their homes. it also includes the withdrawal of israeli forces from gaza. meanwhile, israel's military says it plans to move the 1.4 million palestinians sheltering

in rafah before a planned ground offensive in the city. civilians will be moved to areas israel calls "humanitarian islands" in the middle of the strip. aid groups warn it will be difficult to move so many people to such a small area — especially since a lack of fuel means many will likely have to travel on foot. much of the infrastructure in the areas designated as "islands" has been badly damaged by israeli attacks. the un and us have warned that a full—scale assault in rafah could be disastrous. earlier, a former spokesperson for the israel defense forces, jonathan conricus, told the bbc that without the support of aid groups, moving people would be a complicated process. ideally there would be un involvement in aid organisation involved in doing this but sadly we have seen the same aid organisations refuse to help and participate in alleviating the suffering in gaza, so sadly i think it will be done by the

idea for a loan and it would be ideal if these palestinians could find refuge elsewhere, fences egypt or any other location that is not the combat battlefield, but sadly that has not been available and therefore the idf is forced to do what it is doing now. in response to israeli forces moving palestinians to humanitarian islands, this is what sari bashi, program director at human rights watch, had to say. it is hard to imagine that would happen, considering the experience of the last five months. the israeli military from the very first day has flouted its obligations to protect civilians, in particular by refraining from attacks on civilians, and facilitating the rapid delivery of humanitarian assistance. throughout the war, the israeli military has issued evacuation orders when there is no safe place to go to and no safe way to get there. that is why we have seen more than 31,000 people killed in gaza since 7

october, including over 12,000 0ctober, including over 12,000 children. i spoke earlier with aaron david miller, senior fellow at the carnegie endowment for international peace. you have analysed a lot of speeches in your career, were you surprised at all by the common survey from senator schumer? i common survey from senator schumm— schumer? i do not think - i don't see — schumer? i do not think - i don't see how _ schumer? i do not think - i don't see how anyone - schumer? i do not think - i | don't see how anyone would schumer? i do not think - i - don't see how anyone would not be surprised. in 27 years of working for republican and democratic and administrators, i have heard all speeches on the hill from both parties. this was an extraordinary demonstration of opposition to the government, to the prime minister of a close american ally. a call literally to see him defeated and also to the administration, an open invitation, using his own words to bring about leverage on israel if necessary as long as this particular government remains in power. it was an extraordinary demonstration and

it shattered one of the greater remits of the us relationship that we do not intervene in their politics and they do not intervene in hours. that is sadly not the case.- intervene in hours. that is sadly not the case. what do you think this means? _ sadly not the case. what do you think this means? do _ sadly not the case. what do you think this means? do you - sadly not the case. what do you think this means? do you think| think this means? do you think it was a moment in time or do you think this is a policy we could see expanding further? well, congress controls the purse. you have an emergency supplemental, $14 billion tied up supplemental, $14 billion tied up with a two euchareena taiwan. i do not think it will affect congress's conception of that particular aid package, it is fascinating that to see these roles have been reversed. usually it is congress that has these roles back in the administration criticises. now you have the majority leader of the senate as a firm supporter of israel, as the reason the us senate, basically calling netanyahu with the

neta nyahu with the administration netanyahu with the administration adopting a much more risk averse policy when it comes to imposing serious costs on israel. and on the netanyahu government. how this will play in israel and how netanyahu will play this is unclear but i guarantee he has long ago given up guarantee he has long ago given up on the democratic party and i think if there is any real impact on this, on benjamin netanyahu, i think he will do everything he possibly can to do what he did in 2015, which is essentially unable and take the side of the republicans in an election year that will be determined perhaps by several states and 100,000 votes. this may empower him with the presumptive republican nominee. what do you think the white house is making of all of this behind closed doors? the administration has said these are the words of senator

schumer, they have been very clear on that point, but it also comes a time when we see pressure from president biden himself, to limited success, fair to say, in the eyes of the abided administration will stop what you think they will make of that? i what you think they will make of that? ~ , what you think they will make of that? ~' , ., what you think they will make of that? ~' , . ., , _ of that? i think they are happy with the fact — of that? i think they are happy with the fact that _ of that? i think they are happy with the fact that such - of that? i think they are happy with the fact that such a - with the fact that such a stormwater support of israel, a member of but it oslo party came out and publicly express the views that i am sure most of the ministries and officials including the president probably hold privately. the present giving the speech that chuck schumer gave a be a nuclear option and it is clear that the president has no intention of following the remarks of senator schumer. i think the administration is literally grappling, the president is a huge emotional commitment to israel, he needs

the netanyahu government in order to change the pictures in gaza, judy astley the situation and to allow predictable period of time, 6—8 weeks trying to get humanitarian assistance into gaza. you notice that as the mensuration has ramped up its rhetoric, not so much as actions, it seems to be coming around however slowly on the issue of doing more in the humanitarians are at. i don't think the ministration has yet reached the point where they are prepared to speak as schumer has spoken or to impose real costs and consequences on israel. frustration is building and the next month or so during ramadan will test the possibility of another israel— hamas hostage deal, number one, see if the ministration can find a way to bring it aid into gaza and then they will have to grapple with the determination

of israel to launch a ground campaign in rafah was probably will not happen for at least another month. that will be a real test for the administration. . ., administration. can i ask, do ou administration. can i ask, do you think _ administration. can i ask, do you think that _ administration. can i ask, do you think that netanyahu - administration. can i ask, do| you think that netanyahu and his leadership is in apparel right now because at these comments externally from senator schumer, the fact that even before the attacks 7 october, we saw those weekly protests, thousands of israelis coming out, is he at risk? i think you break the code, yes, he is a risk but not from a chuck schumer. probably not from resident biden. he is at risk because of the unsteady nature of what is building in a politics and netanyahu will pay far more attentive to keeping his coalition together are doing what is necessary to demonstrate how tough he is to keep the right—wing in—line, i am much more right about that. all politics... former speaker

of the house. all politics is local and for netanyahu this is about survival, keeping his coalition intact, paying less attention to what chuck schumer has to say or even what biden wants to do. fits has to say or even what biden wants to tie-— has to say or even what biden wants to do. as always, agreed to talk to _ wants to do. as always, agreed to talk to you. _ politicians and business leaders in haiti continue to negotiate the make—up of a nine—member transitional council that will govern the caribbean nation after its prime minister ariel henry officially steps down. one of the country's most powerful gang leaders, jimmy cherizier, also known as barbecue, rejected a proposed deal that excludes anyone who has been convicted, indicted, orsanctioned from serving on the council. gangs that control most of the capital port—au—prince launched an armed campaign almost two weeks ago, when they called for the removal of prime minister henry. as the situation on the ground becomes more volatile, the united nations is evacuating non—essential

staff from haiti and says that it is setting up an air—bridge from the dominican republic to deliver aid. meanwhile, the dominican republic, which shares the island of hispaniola with haiti, escalated their security operations. 0ur caribbean and central american correspondent will grant reports from the border. it has been another busy and chaotic day on the border between the dominican republic and haiti. a lot of people coming through from the haitian site today because it is market day in this border town and people are permitted to go solely to the market and sell goods or buy bulk items, and then return but not to go into the country properly. meanwhile, the number of people still being returned over the border, deported back into haiti continues at pace. in the capital port—au—prince there has been another uptick of violence over the past 24 hours with reports of an attack on the main penitentiary. the politics continues as well

with efforts to name the interim council, seven names on that list, none of which will be accepted by the main gang leader jimmy cherizier who has used threatening language clear that he does not see anybody on that list or the council as part of haiti's future. in the meantime, the ordinary population in haiti are trying to make ends meet, trying to find enough food and the united nations has announced water it calls an air bridge from this country, the dominican republic, into haiti, and that will take some time to organise but there was a real push to get that sorted out sooner rather than later, such is the urgent need in the haitian capital. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some top stories in the uk. prime minister rishi sunak has ruled out 2 may as a possible date for a general election. that's when local elections are already taking place. speaking to itv news, mr sunak said they would not happen on the same day.

earlier this year, mr sunak had suggested that the vote would be in the second half of 2024, but there had been speculation he might move that up. ministers have unveiled a new definition of extremism. the guidelines would block certain groups from government funding and meeting with officials. it would apply to groups that promote an ideology based on "violence, hatred or intolerance," but the label will not criminalise them. civil liberties advocates and some mps have criticised recent government rhetoric on extremism. and the lineup for one of the world's biggest music festivals has been announced. dua lipa and sza top the bill for glastonbury — meaning two female headliners for the first time in the festival's history. theyjoin coldplay and shania twain, who'll perform in the coveted sunday legend slot. you're live with bbc news. russians in the far east of the country are heading to the polls in a 3—day long presidential election. vladimir putin, the incumbent

who's been in powerfor 25 years, is expected to easily secure another 6—year term. putin faces three challengers in the election, though none have been critical of him. the bbc�*s russia editor steve rosenberg went to the town of borovsk, south of moscow, where two very different pictures of russia are on display. these days, when vladimir 0vchinnikov paints russia, the result is very dark. from a mountain of skulls and a dictator's ambition to this — russia's war in ukraine likened to stalin's terror. the 86—year—old artist had taken his anti—war message onto the streets, graffitiing "stop the war". all these paintings were scrubbed out, and vladimir fined twice for discrediting the russian army. but he continues to speak out against the invasion of ukraine. translation: i believe that this is a crime - against the territorial integrity of a neighbouring country.

it is a crime. and if i keep silent about it, it is like i am condoning it. last month, after the death in prison of opposition leader alexei navalny, vladimir went into town. on this memorial to victims of political repression, he painted mr navalny�*s face. it was quickly erased. but vladimir has created this navalny portrait at home. translation: where is russia heading? . some say we are on our way to more repression, totalitarianism, and to full dictatorship. but there is another picture of russia, one much brighter. the official version. the picture the authorities want russians to see is not of a country that is aggressive

abroad and repressive at home, but a russia with a glorious past and a bright future, of heroes and patriots who not only love their country, but also their current president. instead of dictatorship, it's devotion to the leader on state tv and an action man president flying high and on course for an election landslide. mind you, vladimir putin faces no serious challenge. his fiercest critics are in exile or in prison, or in alexei navalny�*s case, dead. but he is on the ballot. it is impossible to see about our election that it is fair and free. our election that it is fair and free-— our election that it is fair and free. , . ., and free. this politician was barred from _ and free. this politician was barred from running - and free. this politician was barred from running from i and free. this politician was. barred from running from the election and he claims it was because his anti—war message was growing too popular with the public. in

was growing too popular with the public— the public. in russia we have prepaganda. _ the public. in russia we have prepaganda. we _ the public. in russia we have propaganda, we have - the public. in russia we have propaganda, we have the - the public. in russia we have i propaganda, we have the belief that everybody in russia supports vladimir putin and a sporty military operation. it is really not the effects, and my election campaign shows that a lot of people are against vladimir putin and against the special military operation. he is on the ballot. although, when i caught up with the communist candidate, nikolay kharitonov, he praised putin. "vladimir putin," he said, "is consolidating "the nation for victory." and back in borovsk, many seem to believe that. "i hope putin wins," lyudmila says, "although we do " have talented leaders who could run "the country in an emergency." a putin—less russia means an emergency. now, that is a picture of the kremlin will be more than happy to see painted.

steve rosenberg, bbc news, borovsk. ajury in michigan has found the father of a school shooter guilty of involuntary manslaughter. james crumbley — father of the oxford high school shooter who killed four of his classmates in 2021 — was found guilty on all counts. the jury determined that crumbley bears partial responsibility for giving his son access to the gun he used to carry out michigan's deadliest school shooting. crumbley�*s wife was also found guilty on the same charges last month — a jury saying she was negligent and ignored warning signs. their son ethan, a teenager at the time, was sentenced to life in prison without parole. the case marks the first time american parents have been convicted of manslaughter in connection with a school shooting. former us president donald trump appeared in a florida court earlier on thursday, where a judge denied his request to dismiss charges of illegally holding onto classified documents. mr trump's legal team argued that the central charge against him —

illegally retaining information related to national defense — is improperly vague. however, us district judge aileen cannon, who was appointed by the former president himself, ruled that that the question of vageuness should be decided during a jury trial. she has not yet set a date. mr trump has pleaded not guilty to the 40 charges accusing him of taking sensitive government documents with him when he left the white house in 2021. that case in florida is one of four criminal cases he faces as he ramps up his presidential campaign. another is the so—called hush—money case in new york. on thursday prosecutors said they would not oppose a 30—day delay in a trial that was set to begin on 25 march. in that case, mr trump is accused of falsifying business records to hide a payment to adult film star stormy daniels. he's pleaded not guilty to all 34 felony counts. turning now to mark zaid, an attorney who focuses on cases related

to national security. good to have you with us. let's look at the florida case on classified documents. trump's team challenged whether he should be prosecuted under the espionage act for retaining classified documents. judge aileen cannon, a trump appointee, threw that out. she said that would be premature. what do you make of that? this is a 2—page order and i was very surprised that they took literally almost the entire day to argue two motions that frankly were a long shot to begin with and did not deserve as much time as they received. the motion that was denied with respect to the constitutionality and vagueness of certain terms in the espionage act, this is an act that dates back to world war i, 1917, last amended during the korean conflict 70 years ago,

and it has been used countless times against not only spies but also leaders of classified information all those who just mishandle it national defence information, the term in this older statute. this has been decided multiple times over the years, so i am not sure why she denied it without prejudice, because these are not questions of fact that will come before the jury, but of fact that will come before thejury, but at of fact that will come before the jury, but at least she acted really quickly, which has been somewhat unusual for her. i want to talk about a second point as well. trump's lawyers raised another point with regards to the presidential records act, saying it should be up to a president's discretion whether something is personal or a presidential record. the thought here being could be “p the thought here being could be up to their thought process. what do you make of that argument?

anyone and certainly our generation or the one above us, our parents, who had microwaves know they did not need an instruction in the owners manual not to dry your pet in it. that is the sort of framework of this motion that i view it by. the presidential records act which was created in the aftermath of watergate in the aftermath of watergate in the aftermath of watergate in the nixon administration where richard nixon wanted to retain tape recordings of 0val retain tape recordings of oval office meetings, the infamous 0ffice meetings, the infamous 18 minute gap, to decide what was personal and what are presidential records act, prior to that statute staff and presidents and vice presidents would take home all sorts of documents for decades, including classified information. this statute makes a very clear as to what is and what is not personal and presidential. it does not apply to classified or national defence information. there have

been numerous executive orders which govern classification, no mention of the presidential records act, there were numerous orders that existed before the presidential records act and there was no mention in that statute. it is a civil statute and president trump wanted to challenge whether or not these are his records, he could have returned them to the national archives and then filed a civil lawsuit to challenge. i don't know why this motion still on the table and my hope is thatjudge cannon will issue a very well reasoned, whether lengthy or short, opinion puts this issue to bed very quickly. i short, opinion puts this issue to bed very quickly.— short, opinion puts this issue to bed very quickly. i know you specialise _ to bed very quickly. i know you specialise in _ to bed very quickly. i know you specialise in national— to bed very quickly. i know you specialise in national security | specialise in national security but i do want to get your take on the hush money case. it was the first criminal case we defected to move forward and now the potential for it to be delayed up to 30 days. briefly, what does that mean for the trump team any defence? it is cratefull trump team any defence? it is gratefully trump _ trump team any defence? it 3

gratefully trump team because the delays this case even further which is frankly what they want. it is a horrible look for the prosecution but the reality is it was not their fault, it was the federal government was like false in the southern district of new york in the us attorney office for not providing these documents to the new york city prosecutors sooner. this is a real egg on their face, prosecutors sooner. this is a real egg on theirface, and unnecessary, unforced error as we say. mark zaid, an attorney who focuses on cases related to national security. we always appreciate your analysis. thank you. you are watching bbc news. thank you for your company. watching bbc news. thank you foryour company. more watching bbc news. thank you for your company. more news at the top of the hour. hello. well, the weather has been very mild in the last day or so. in london, temperatures on thursday reached 18.1 degrees celsius, so spring is definitely in the air. how about friday? i don't think it's going to be quite as warm and if anything,

a lot of cloud and a good chance of catching some rain. now, currently, an area of low pressure is crossing us with its weather fronts and that spells a lot of rain—bearing cloud. and in fact, through the night, it will have been a wet picture across many parts of scotland. rain also around the lake district and elsewhere we've got showers crossing the uk. temperatures early in the morning on friday — double figures for london and norwich and many of us around 9—10 degrees. a bit colder there in scotland — 5 for aberdeen. the forecast, then, for friday, and a lot of cloud first half of the day, very few glimmers of sunshine. showers possible through the morning and afternoon across england and wales, cracks of thunder likely, but out towards the west — and in some other areas as well — there'll be some bright spells. temperatures — well, from yorkshire southwards i think we're still talking about the mid—teens, but further north and west, closer to around 10 or 11. and then friday night the skies clear, and into saturday morning with lighter winds, it is going to be a chilly start.

so crisp sunshine early on saturday with temperatures in parts of scotland around —3 degrees celsius. i don't think it's going to be frosty in the south. so saturday, lots of bright if not sunny weather across many northern and eastern areas. but this weather front is approaching — its southwesterlies pushing the rain bearing clouds so there will be some damp weather for the south—west, for wales, the irish sea and into northern ireland. temperatures though, around 10—13 degrees. and then for the rest of the weekend, while weather fronts keep on crossing the uk, notice that the winds are blowing out of the southwest — that's a mild direction. so if anything, despite all the cloud and the early outbreaks of rain, i think on sunday with that even southerly, i think the temperatures are going to rise. we're talking around 15—16, maybe even 17 degrees celsius in one or two spots across the east and the southeast. let's have a look at the outlook. it is going to be a mixed bag, every weather icon you can possibly imagine. but those temperatures are going to remain on the mild side.

mid—teens across the south — around, say, 8—13 in the north of the uk. that's it from me. bye— bye.

who should own us steel?

the proposed sale of an american industrial powerhouse risks driving a wedge between two close allies. plus, bitcoin has an extraordinary week. we look into what's driving the rally in the world's biggest cryptocurrency. hello and welcome to asia business report. we began in the us, where these shares of us steel have dropped for a second day of the president biden came out against the proposed sale of the domestic industrial powerhouse to a japanese steelmaker. this comes ahead of his meeting with japan prime minister fumio kishida next month. our business correspondent has more from new york. president biden is taking a stand against a deal in the making. us steel, an american company, is set to be brought by nippon steel, a japanese company but president biden says that us steel should stay in the us. the president praised

the iconic 123—year—old